New Delhi: A light-hearted moment between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during the G7 Summit has once again captured the attention of social media users, bringing back the popular online nickname ‘Melodi’ that emerged after their earlier meetings.
The two leaders exchanged greetings while joining other heads of government for a group photograph at the summit. A short video from the interaction quickly spread across social media platforms, with users highlighting Meloni’s playful comment about their online popularity.
Meloni to Modi after their viral Melodi toffee post got 10 million likes on Instagram
“Nice to see you again. We are the most famous on Instagram.” pic.twitter.com/Oj9Wd6WzCm
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) June 16, 2026
During the brief conversation, Meloni reportedly referred to the widespread attention they receive on social media, saying, “We are the most famous couple on Instagram.” The remark immediately triggered a fresh wave of memes, edits and reactions from users who have followed the ‘Melodi’ trend since 2023.
The term ‘Melodi’, created by combining the names of Modi and Meloni, became popular after the two leaders shared friendly exchanges during international events. What began as a social media joke gradually turned into a widely recognised online trend featuring photos, videos and fan-made content.
Meloni has previously joined in on the trend herself. In 2024, she shared a selfie with Prime Minister Modi carrying the hashtag “Melodi”, which received widespread attention. She later posted another video from the G7 Summit referring to the two leaders as the “Melodi team”.
The latest interaction follows another playful reference to the nickname when Prime Minister Modi gifted Meloni a packet of Melody chocolates during a visit to Italy. The Italian leader responded by thanking him and describing the sweet as enjoyable, further entertaining social media audiences.
Beyond the online attention, the exchanges between the two leaders come amid strengthening India-Italy relations. The two countries have been expanding cooperation in areas including trade, manufacturing, defence, technology and renewable energy.
Italy is also a partner in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a connectivity project aimed at improving trade links between India, the Middle East and Europe. Bilateral trade between India and Italy has grown significantly, crossing the $16 billion mark.
While the ‘Melodi’ trend continues to generate humour and enthusiasm online, officials from both countries have focused on strengthening strategic and economic ties. The latest viral moment at the G7 once again highlighted how a brief diplomatic interaction can quickly become a global social media talking point.
